Domestic lock



Sept. 3, 1957 s. J. STOAKES DOMESTIC LOCK Filed May 5, 1955 6. JTStoaJxs 2,805,094 DOMESTIC LOCK Sidney James Stoakes, Hornchurch, England Application Mayaisss, Serial No. 505,720 4 Claims. (Cl. 292-3365 This invention consists in a lock for a door adapted to be fitted to or incorporated in door catches of the kind comprising a latch or bolt operated by' a knob and rotary spindle, comprising a clutch for constraining the spindle against rotation, and means for engaging the clutch from one side of the door.

Preferably, the clutch is arranged to be engaged by axial sliding movement of the rotary spindle, which sliding movement may be provided for by engaging the spindle with a knob in such a way as to cause rotation when the knob is moved from a resting position in one direction, but axial sliding when the knob is rotated from this position in the other direction. Thus, the engagement may take the form of a pin extending from the spindle into an inclined slot in the shank of the handle or knob. Alternatively, the slot may be in a plane normal to the shank axis and an annular wedge cam may be used for sliding the knob and therefore the spindle when the knob is turned in the appropriate direction.

The clutch may take the form of a clutch member arranged for fixing to a door, spring urged away from a complementary clutch member constrained to rotate with the spindle and which is either adapted to be fixed thereto or spring urged into engagement with a member such as a door knob or handle which in use will be fixed to the spindle. In this way, if a knob with an associated spindle-sliding mechanism is fixed on the inside of the door and a clutch as described above on the outside, the door can readily be locked from the inside simply by reversing the normal movement of the knob or handle.

The clutch and clutch operating members employed in accordance with this invention are preferably constructed so they can be fitted on to a mortice or rim latch alrelady mounted on a door without having to remove the latc In accordance with afurther feature of this invention, the clutch is arranged so as to be disengageable from the outside of a locked door, that is, the side remote from that from which locking is efiected, without entailing damage, in a manner needing no more than the use of a tool such as a screw-driver.

Thus, where a clutch member is constrained to the spindle as described above, by means of a set screw or by abutment against the outer door knob, unscrewing the set screw or that holding the outer door knob will permit the clutch member to slide under spring pressure out of engagement and will permit the latch or bolt to be disengaged by the now loosened outer knob or handle. This provision is particularly valuable on locks on the inside doors of domestic houses, or wherever privacy is required without a high degree of security.

In one convenient arrangement there is provided a clutch in the form of two annular complementary clutch members which are spring urged apart and arranged to look when they come axially into engagement with one another. One of the clutch members is arranged to be fixed to a door, with the spindle of a latch extending through it, while the other is slidably engaged upon the States Patent.

- 2,805,094 Patented Sept; 3'; 1 957 square spindle but constrained against relative rotation. 'A compression spring is housed between the two and normally kept partially compressed bya knob or handle secured to the adjacent end of the spindle. At the other end of the spindle on the other side of the door, a second knob or handle is attached by means of a screw passing through an inclined slot in the shank of the knob or handle. ,The fixedlclu tch member ishoused within a sleeve extending to the outer face of the sliding clutch member when engagedfi When the clutch is disengaged, the sliding clutch rnember will be visible (by variant colour) beyond the sleevea An axial projection on each of the clutch members prevents the spindle from being turned backwards so that when a handle formed with an inclined slit is turned-backwards the spindle is pulled towards this handle, pulling with it the other handle and thereby bringing the clutch members into engagement with onejanotherr If,firi"t he case of accident or otherwise it becomes necessary to' disengage the lock from the outside all that needs to be done is to disengage the outer knob or handle when this will slide outwards for a short distance under spring pressure and disengage the clutch members.

If desired, the outer clutch member and handle may be integral.

In another convenient arrangement, one clutch member is constrained against rotation and comprises an arcuate slot coaxial with the spindle formed in a rose provided with a coaxial sleeve, the slot having on at least one end an extension parallel with the spindle, while the complementary clutch member is a pin or screw engaged in the slot and projecting radially from the spindle. This pin or screw may be the fixing means 'for the respective handle. When the clutch is engaged, the word Engaged will become visible through a window in the sleeve.

In a still further arrangement, one clutch member is in the form of a circular-section socket encircling the spindle, constrainable against rotation by being fixed to a door, and the other is the shank of a door knob formed to fit the socket to prevent the knob from being turned when its shank is pulled into the socket.

One embodiment of the inventionis illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a part-sectional view of a latch fitted to a door;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary external view corresponding to a lower portion of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line III-III of Figure 1.

The latch comprises a body portion 1 of conventional form housed in a door 2 through which extends a squaresection spindle 3. A handle 4 is formed with a shank 5 bearing against a rose 6 and secured to the spindle by a pin 7 passing into an inclined slot 8 in the shank. A

' rose 9 at the other side of the door is formed with a sleeve 10 receiving the shank 11 of a second handle 12, this handle being secured to spindle 3 by a screw 13 passing through a bore in shank 11 and into fiat-based U-shaped slots 14 formed in sleeve 10. The inner end of shank 11 is recessed at 15 to receive one end of a helical compression spring 16. Shank 11 bears a marking 17 (Figure 2) which disappears from view when the shank is pulled fully into sleeve 10, while a marking Engaged comes into view through the slot 14.

In use, the handles operate in the ordinary way, screw 13 sliding in the base of slots 14. On turning handle 4 upwards, however, pin 7 slides in slot 8 so as to pull shank 11 against rose 9 bringing screw 13 into a side limb of slots 14. In this way spindle 3 is locked against rotation. Washers may be used to adjust the fitting according to the thickness of the door.

If the adjustment of the washers is such that shank 11 does not become pressed hard against rose 9, and handle 4 is eccentrically weighed, as in the case of a lever handle, the latch may in emergency be unlocked by pressing handle 12 so as to relieve handle 4 from the pressure of spring 16. This permits itto drop back to a horizontal position. Otherwise screw 13 can be withdrawn to permit the handle to be turned.

To improve the appearance of handle 4, slot 8 may be sleeved over, or replaced by a channel which does not extend through to the exterior surface and which communicates with the end of shank 5 by way of an extension of the channel parallel with the shank axis.

As shown, shank 5 is provided with a cylindrical bore for rotation relative to spindle 3,' while shank 11 has a bore fitting the spindle to permit the latter to be turned by handle 12 after the release of screw 13, or the reverand the second being adapted for securing to the door, and a knob for rotating the spindle, and means for causing axial sliding movement of the spindle to engage the clutch members together when the knob is turned in one direction from a resting position, and causing rotation of the spindle when the knob is turned in the other direction from said position.

2. A lock as set forth in claim 1, in which said means comprises a pin extending from the spindle into an inclined slot in a shank portion of the knob.

3. A lock as set forth in claim 1 and having a spring mounted to urge the clutch members apart.

4. A lock as set forth in claim 3 in which the first clutch member is fixed to the spindle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

